Shaft-coupling.



M. ROTTER.

SHAFT COUPLING.

- APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 18, 1910.

I Patented Oct. 31, 1911.

WITNE EEEE INVEN R;

. ATTDRNE-ZY.

all it concern:

.: xBe'it known that. I, Max RoTTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee,

in the county offMilwaukee and State of isconsin, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Shaft-Couplings, of' :which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the construction of couphngs'and more particularly to improvements in the construction of couplings 'for uniting two movable members, such as rotating shafts, the coua coupling for shafts which is simple in conpling being adapted to be removed in order to disconnect the members.

-The'object of the invention is to provide st-ruction, eflicientin operation and which can be easily removed from the shafts without disturbing the positions of same.

A clear conception of one embodiment of the invention can be obtained by referring to theaccompanying drawing, in which like reference characters designate the same or s milar parts in like or different-views.

igure 1 is a central vertical section through a coupling showing its application to two fragmentary sh aft'ends. Fig. 2 is an end and part sectionalvview of the device shown in Fig. 1, the section being taken onv the line II-I I of Fig. 1, looking in-the direction of the arrows.

The-shafts l, 2, see Fig. 1, are mounted in "bearings 5," 6 respectively and are coaxial with each other. The end member 7 which it. fitted over the overhanging ;end of the shaft 1', is keyed thereto by means of a key- 3, and has a series; of outwardly projecting radiallugs 11 formed at its periphery. The

end member 8 is similarly fitted over the overhanging end of'tlie shaft 2, being keyed thereto by means of a key 4, and has outwardly projecting radial lugs 12 formed at its periphery. It is not essential that keys 3, 4 be used in, fastening these members to the ends of the shafts 1, 2, as any other suitable means, such as bolts, or by shrinking cylindrical surface 18.

the members '2', 8 onto the shaft ends, may

be used to accomplish the same purpose. The end coupling sleeve 9 is mounted over the end member 7, coacting therewith along a- This end sleeve 9 has lateral projections 20 which extend into the spaces formed intermediate the radial projecting lugs llof the member 7. The end coupling sleeve 10 is mounted over the Application filed June 18, 1910. Serial No. 567,594.

end member 8 and coacts therewith along a cylindrical surface 19. This end member 10 has lateral projections 21 which extendinto spaces formed intermediate the radial'projecting lugs 12 on the end member 8.: Dowel pins 15 serve to properly position the sleeves 9, 10 relative to the members 7, 8. respectively. The members 7, 8, as well as" the sleeves 9, 10, are constructedeiiactly alike,- thereby making these like 1. elements interchangeable with each other. The central sleeve 13 is cylindrical in form and coacts with the sleeves 9, 10, one at either end of the sleeve 13, along surfaces formed perpendicularly to the axis of the shafts 1,2.- The bolts 14 which pass through outwardly pro-' jecting flanges formed on the sleeves 9, 10, 13 serve to maintain the coactionbetween the sleeves The several lengths, ordistan'ceA, of sleeves9, 10, are precisely the same for all. The distance B formed intermediate the overhanging ends of the shafts '1, 2 is slightly greater than the distance A or the overall length of each separate sleeve. 1

In placing the coupling into position the end members 7, 8 are fitted upon the ends of the shafts 1, 2, and are fixed thereto by means of the keys 3, 4. The sleeve 9 is then inserted between the ends of theshafts 1, 2, this insertion being permitted, owing to the fact that the distance A or theoverall length of the sleeve 9 is less than the distance B between the shaft ends. After having been passed-between the shaft ends the sleeve '9 is shifted longitudinally of the shaft 1 until the surfaces 18 coact and the projections 20 bling of the coupling and while the sleeve 9 is being shifted longitudinally of the shaft- 1, the space 17 is entirelyclosedl The sleeve 10 is then inserted between the ends, of the shafts 1, 2 after which it isshifted longitudinally of the shaft 2 until the surfaces 19 of the sleeve and end member coact and the projections 21 of the sleeve 10 interlock with the radially projecting lugs 12 of the-memher 8. The longitudinal shifting of the .sleeve'10 is continued until the space 16 normally formedbetween the lugs 12 and the sleeve 10 is entirely closed. After the sleeves 9, have been brought to the positions abovedescribed,-the cylindrical sleeve 13 is inserted between the ends of the shafts sleeves 9, 10 have been brought in coaction with the ends of the sleeve 13 the bolts 14 are inserted and the assembling of the coupling is completed.

In the construction of the coupling as shown, it would not be essential to have dowels 15 inserted between the end members 7, 8 and the sleeves 9, 10 respectively, since these sleeves might be shifted to any angular position around the axis of the shafts 1, 2, and the holes for the bolts 14 would still register with each other. Such dowels 15 would, however, be necessary in case the machiningof the surfaces of coaction be tween the lugs 11, 12 and the projections 20, 21 were imperfect or in case a fewer number of bolts 14 were used to maintain the sleeves in coaction. It will be noted that the spaces 17, 16 formed between the end members 7, 8 and the sleeves 9, 10 respectively permit a certain amount of end motion of either of the shafts 1,2 relative to the other. During such relative shifting or end movement, the sleeves 9, 1O slide longitudinally onthe surfaces 18, 19 of the end members 7 '8 respectively. The radially projecting lugs 11, 12 furthermore slide along their surfaces of coactionwith the projections 20, 21 respectively, and the spaces 17, 16 are closed or enlarged, depending upon the degree of relative movement betweenv the shafts. During such sliding of the elements, it is essential to maintain a perfect lubrication of the coacting surfaces, and it is therefore desirable to have a simple lubricating sys'-' tem introduced. in the coupling' --Such a simple and efficient system of lubrication is fully disclosed in patent to McKee 87 5,588, dated Dec. 31, 1907. It might also be noted that it is not essential to have the distance A or the length of the sleeves 9, 10, 13 as great as shown, as this distance A might be decreased by placing the lugs 20, 21- nearer the ends of the shafts 1, 2. Such construcformed of such a diameter that a small amount of play exists between the sleeves 9, 10, and the end members 7, 8, at the surfaces 18, 19, respectively. With such an existing space between these elements'it is not necessary to haveexact alinement between the shafts 1, 2, the difference in alinement being taken up by the play or space. It' is, moreover, not essential to have the sleeves 9,10, 13, made solid, this form being shown since it is the strongest and most convenient, but the sleeves might just as easily.

be made of sections if such construction were found to be more desirable.

It should be understood that it is not deprojection engaging said lug on one of said 1 ,shafts,and an intermediate sleeve connecting said sleeves, said sleeves being of substantially equal lengthsand of less length than the distance. between theends of said shafts.

2. In a shaft coupling, a plurality of shafts having a space intermediate their ends, a lug projecting from each of said shafts, a plurality of sleeves each having a projection engagingsaidlug on one of said v shafts, and an intermediate sleeve connecting said sleeves, said shafts being adapted to move longitudinally relative to each other, said sleeves being of equal lengths and removable through said space between said shafts.

3, In a shaft coupling, a pair of shaft-s having a space intermediate their ends, a lug projecting from each of said shafts, a plurality of sleeves each having a projection engagingsaidlugon one of said shafts, and an intermediate sleeve connecting said sleeves, each of said sleeves being of substantially equal lengths andof less length than the distance between the ends of said shafts. p "f. I

In testimonywhereof, I afiix my signature in the presence oftwo,witnesses.'

j I i BUTTER. Witnesses: r

Gr. 1?. DE WEIN, Y W. H. LIEBER. 

